The Wave alternative built for Australian & NZ sole traders
Wave is free. Wave is great. Wave doesn't handle Australian or New Zealand GST. PayWren does, for the same price ($0). Unlimited invoices. Automatic GST. Compliant from day one.
Pick Wave if: you're invoicing only in the US or Canada with no GST/VAT.
Pick PayWren if: you're invoicing in Australia (10% GST, BAS), New Zealand (15% GST, IRD), or both. Wave will technically let you add a "tax", but it won't generate BAS reports, won't track GST credits, and won't produce a compliant tax invoice format.
Pricing: the honest comparison
Wave Pro USD $19.99/mo verified May 2026.
| Plan | Wave | PayWren |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✅ Starter (free), unlimited invoicing | ✅ Free, unlimited invoices + GST reports |
| Paid upgrade | Pro $19.99 USD/mo (~$32 NZD / ~$30 AUD) | Solo $12 NZD/mo (~$11 AUD) |
| Currency | USD billing | Local (NZD or AUD) |
| GST built in | ❌ | ✅ |
Wave's free plan is great. PayWren's free plan does the same things plus actually handles your GST. Same price. Local currency.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Wave | PayWren |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | ||
| IRD-compliant tax invoices | Partial | ✅ |
| Unlimited invoices on the free plan | ✅ | ✅ |
| AI invoice drafting from plain English | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom invoice branding (logo, colours) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Quotes / estimates | ✅ | On roadmap |
| Recurring invoices | ✅ | On roadmap |
| Branded email delivery | ✅ | ✅ |
| GST & NZ tax | ||
| Automatic 15% GST (inclusive or exclusive) | ❌ No NZ GST | ✅ |
| GST return with IRD box numbers (5/6/11/13) | ❌ | ✅ Free plan |
| GST anomaly & tax insights | ❌ | ✅ |
| Provisional tax estimate | ❌ | ✅ |
| Withholding tax (RWT/WT) handling | ❌ | ✅ Manual |
| Accountant export pack (PDF/CSV) | ✅ CSV | ✅ |
| Expenses | ||
| AI receipt scanning | Add-on | ✅ |
| Expense auto-classification | Partial | ✅ |
| Bank statement import (NZ banks) | ❌ US/CA | ✅ Pro+ |
| Mileage / vehicle logbook | ❌ | ✅ |
| Payments | ||
| Stripe payment links | ❌ US/CA only | On roadmap |
| Paid into your own bank account | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automation & platform | ||
| Automated overdue reminders | ✅ | ✅ |
| NZBN business register lookup | ❌ | ✅ |
| ABN/ABR lookup (Australia) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Native iOS app | ✅ | ✅ |
| Team workspaces with roles | Limited | ✅ |
| Time tracking | ❌ | ✅ |
| Multi-currency invoices | Partial | On roadmap |
Who's actually switching from Wave to PayWren
The classic story: You're a designer/dev/consultant on Wave's free plan, business is growing, you hit the GST registration threshold ($75k AU or $60k NZ). You go to add GST and discover Wave can't really do it. You either:
- Manually add a "Tax 10%" line to every invoice and hand-calculate your BAS quarterly (painful)
- Move to Xero/MYOB and start paying $30–65/month (expensive)
- Find PayWren: same free model as Wave, but with the GST stuff actually built in
Switching from Wave to PayWren
- Export your clients from Wave (Settings → Data Export → Customers as CSV)
- Sign up for PayWren free and import the CSV
- Set your GST registration (date and number) so PayWren picks up the right rate
- Send your next invoice from PayWren: your client gets an ATO/IRD-compliant version
- Keep Wave open for a quarter to make sure your numbers reconcile
- Cancel/archive Wave when you're confident. Historical invoices stay accessible there
Frequently asked questions
Doesn't Wave have plans to support Australia/NZ GST?
Wave has been US/Canada-focused for years and shows no signs of changing. They don't even officially support AUD or NZD billing. You have to use USD billing and absorb the FX. Don't hold your breath.
Is PayWren really as good as Wave for invoicing?
We think so, and you can compare for free. Both have unlimited invoicing on the free plan. PayWren adds the GST/BAS/IRD layer Wave doesn't have. Wave has slightly more polished receipt scanning (paid).
What about Wave Payroll for Australia?
Wave Payroll is US/Canada only. You can't use it in Australia or NZ. For payroll in ANZ, look at Employment Hero, KeyPay, or Xero/MYOB.
I'm a Kiwi freelancer working with US clients. Can PayWren handle that?
Yes. PayWren handles zero-rated invoices for overseas clients correctly (so they appear in the right box on your GST return).
Can I use PayWren before I'm GST-registered?
Yes. PayWren works for both registered and non-registered sole traders. We'll prompt you when you're approaching the threshold ($75k AU or $60k NZ).
Free, like Wave. But with the GST stuff actually built in.
Made for Australia. Made for New Zealand. Made for sole traders.
Get started free, no credit card